Director Danny Boyle and writer Alex Garland, the creative duo behind the classic 2002 zombie thriller “28 Days Later,” have reunited for “28 Years Later,” a new entry in the franchise that will be shopped to major studios and streaming services this week, according to an insider with knowledge of the package.
WME is set to handle the upcoming sale of the package, which has ambitions beyond just a one-off sequel. There is already talk of kickstarting an entire new trilogy of “28 Days Later” films, over 15 years after 2007’s “28 Weeks Later” marked the last installment. Unlike that sequel, Boyle and Garland are fully on board this time to shepherd the next chapter.
The original indie hit combined Boyle’s kinetic visual style with Garland’s brainy spin on zombie mythology. “28 Days Later” upended the shuffle-walking undead by introducing “infected” humans filled with murderous rage.
Boyle is attached to direct the first film in the new “28 Days Later” trilogy, with Garland set to pen all three scripts. The budget for each entry is expected to land in the $75 million range, signaling more expansive productions compared to the original’s modest $8 million price tag.
Boyle and Garland will produce the series alongside Andrew Macdonald, a producer on the first two films. Former Fox Searchlight head Peter Rice is also boarding the project – Fox Searchlight backed the original indie hit and its sequel when Rice was at the helm.
The 2002 original starred Cillian Murphy as a man awakening from a coma to find London devastated by virus-infected humans turned murderous monsters. Naomie Harris co-starred as a fellow survivor, with Christopher Eccleston as a deranged military officer.
On a small budget, the film relaunched the zombie genre by introducing fast-moving “infected” rather than traditional shambling undead. In the ensuing decade, “The Walking Dead,” “World War Z” and Zack Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead” remake followed its template.
“28 Days Later” also furthered the careers of Danny Boyle and Cillian Murphy. Boyle went on to helm “Slumdog Millionaire” and “127 Hours,” while Murphy starred in Christopher Nolan’s “Batman Begins.”
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.